The Canadian Government’s decision to deploy an Air Division in Europe with NATO, 1950–51

May 19, 2026 - Defence Stories

Estimated read time - 1:46

Directorate of History and Heritage's new history series

The Directorate of History and Heritage (DHH) has launched a new history series showcasing current research projects. Through this new series, DHH offers Defence Team members a sneak peak into the Directorate's ongoing work, using excerpts from larger projects.

The third in this series is from Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Johnston's Decision for an Air Division: The Canadian Government's Decision to Deploy an Air Division in Europe with NATO, 1950-51 - exploring the government's swift towards becoming a major air power in Europe.

The 1950s are often remembered as the Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF's) golden years. One of the reasons for that was the Air Division that Canada contributed to NATO in Europe. When the Canadian Air Division reached full strength in the mid-1950s, it numbered 300 F-86E Sabres, making it one of the largest contingents of modern jet fighters in NATO, second only to the Americans. The government was initially reluctant to undertake such a commitment, and almost none of the units that would eventually be deployed to Europe even existed at the time. However, in a pivotal period of just six months, from the late summer of 1950 to early 1951, the government had a change of heart and decided upon a major air power commitment to NATO in Europe. What might explain such a policy reversal? It was a mixture of the perceived threats of the time, a belief that Canada had to do its part for collective security, and not least, pressure from allies, particularly the United States.
To read the full article: Decision for an Air Division: The Canadian Government's Decision to Deploy an Air Division in Europe with NATO, 1950-51.

DHH's core mission

DHH's core mission is to preserve and share the official history of Canada's armed forces. In pursuit of this, our team of historians work full time on a wide variety of in-depth research projects, often resulting in book-length narratives about CAF operations. Ranging from post-1945 histories of the navy and the air force, to various peace support operations, to the more recent operations in Afghanistan, these projects require years of intensive research and writing. Historians delve deeply into war diaries, oral testimonies, and other unique, archival sources. Canada has employed official historians dating back to 1918, and past publications by DHH and its predecessors have proved invaluable to people seeking to understand Canada's relationship with war.

Through this series, DHH is pleased to be able to highlight current research into the history of CAF operations.